In a prior art spark plug, the center electrode and the ground electrode are each provided with an end piece, called a firing tip, that is made of a precious metal alloy primarily containing iridium. These end pieces are bonded to the center electrode and the ground electrode by laser welding. The purpose of tipping the electrodes with end pieces made of an iridium alloy is to extend the service life of the spark plug, which iridium and iridium alloys are well suited for. However, iridium is a costly precious metal.